


we all get there eventually

by mako_lies (wingeddserpent)



Category: Free!
Genre: Gen, Gen or Pre-Slash, M/M, Sousuke and His Self-Esteem Issues, Sousuke's Comical (and Occasionally Alarming) Sense of Direction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-15
Updated: 2016-10-15
Packaged: 2018-08-22 13:08:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8286935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wingeddserpent/pseuds/mako_lies
Summary: Sousuke is rescued when he gets lost on the way to Makoto's birthday party. Tokyo isn't as scary in pairs.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Courtthesatchmo96](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Courtthesatchmo96/gifts).



His phone prefers to die when he needs it most. It’s cosmic, almost, the way it knows when to quit. Sousuke blows out a slow breath, irritation setting into his shoulders. His bad one already aches and this so isn’t helping.

Tokyo bursts with light, and he stands by the train clutching his useless phone. To be honest, he doesn’t even remember the address of the cat cafe, except that it’s somewhere in Shibuya.

Hell, he’s not even sure how Rin talked him into going to Tachibana’s birthday in the _first_ place.

Sousuke parks it as people stream past. Even tourists seem to know where they’re headed better than he does: he figures that they at least have romaji to help them out. He’s just bad at this. Being able to read kanji does him absolutely no good when he doesn’t know _where_ he’s going, and he has no way of finding it out.

Maybe he should just go home and apologize to Rin later. It’s not like they’d mind much if he didn’t go. They’re not even _his_ friends. Rin’d only invited him to be polite, so it’s for the best anyway—

“Yamazaki?” and of course, it has to be Nanase.

How he even managed to find Sousuke in the crowded underbelly of Tokyo, he’ll never be sure. He looks up. Nanase is in one of those oversized sweaters he loves so much. The ones Rin says makes him look like an old man. He examines Sousuke, head tilted. “Rin thought you might get lost,” Nanase offers, uncharacteristically, “This is the stop he told you to get off at.”

It’s true, but it doesn’t explain why _Nanase_  is here instead of Rin. “My phone died.”

A pause. Nanase looks at him with that crazy weird focus of his. Then he comes closer, mouth pursed in what might be a pout. “Rin’s right. You’re hopeless.”

Sousuke would protest, but mostly he’s surprised Rin talks about him _at all_ , let alone to Nanase. Another step closer. Then Nanase grabs his hand to help Sousuke up with strength that isn’t surprising in itself; it’s more surprising that Nanase would bother. Sousuke lets himself get heaved to feet. Feels more even once he’s looking down at Nanase again.

Except then Nanase doesn’t let him go. Instead, he tugs him deeper into the labyrinth. People are looking at them, even some tourists, but when Sousuke tries to pull away, Nanase only holds him tighter. “We don’t want to lose you again,” is what Nanase says, and Sousuke has no clue what that’s even supposed to mean. He can’t pull away though, he can only be dragged in deeper.

Maybe this is what Rin means when he says Haru is impossible.

“Where’s Rin?” is all he can manage.

Haru half-turns to look at him, some softness in his expression Sousuke hasn’t seen before. To be regarded with that—Haru says, “He’s waiting with the others. He was covered in cats. I volunteered instead.”

Like it’s that easy. Then, most everything Haru does looks effortless. Sousuke can only be swept along as Haru navigates this place like it’s nothing, like it’s _water_ , and Sousuke—Sousuke squeezes his hand, and lets himself get pulled back in.


End file.
